Foiling into the Future: REGENT’s Viceroy Seaglider Completes First Crewed Foil-Mode Test
In a recent demonstration late last month, REGENT Craft completed the first successful crewed “foil-mode” test of its revolutionary Viceroy seaglider prototype. Completing this test successfully represents a key advancement in the seaglider’s development, making high-speed, all-electric maritime flight a closer reality than ever.
Held just months after the seaglider’s debut “float-mode” trial in March, successfully lifted the vessel onto its hydrofoils—a critical phase between floating and full airborne flight. The Viceroy seaglider vessel operates exclusively over the water in three modes: floating on the hull, foiling on hydrofoils, and flying/wing-in-ground effect (gliding within one wingspan from the surface of the water). This intermediate “foiling mode” enables the vessel to glide smoothly above the water, enhancing speed, agility, and passenger comfort while preparing for wing-in-ground effect flight.
“Seeing our seaglider prototype rise onto foil for the first time marks a major milestone and a powerful validation of the years of innovation, grit, and world-class engineering our team has poured into this vision,” said REGENT co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer. “This achievement brings us one step closer to crewed flight, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
With a sleek profile and cutting-edge design, the Viceroy, affectionately nicknamed “Paladin,” measures 55 feet long with a 65-foot wingspan, and can carry 12 passengers and 2 crew. The Viceroy is the largest all-electric flying machine ever constructed, capable of operating in all three dynamic modes—floating, foiling, and flying—potentially revolutionizing fast, affordable and efficient transportation between coastal destinations.
From Foils to Flight: What’s Next
REGENT’s development roadmap includes ramping up “foil-mode” speeds to 50 knots, making Viceroy potentially the fastest hydrofoiling vessel on the planet, even before liftoff. Crewed flight/”wing-in-ground mode” testing is on the horizon for later this summer.
When fully operational, the Viceroy seaglider is built to cruise at 180 mph with a 180-mile range on a single electric charge, providing seamless, high-speed, emissions-free travel over coastal waters.
Despite its aerodynamic wings and soaring ambition, the seaglider is legally classified as a boat. That distinction means it is regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and global maritime authorities—not the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), which may simplify both its legal certification and commercial deployment.
In August 2024, the Coast Guard approved REGENT’s Navigational Safety Risk Assessment, building on the Approval in Principle already secured from Bureau Veritas in 2022.
Since its founding in 2020, REGENT has accumulated $9 billion in preorders spanning six continents. Partnerships are as diverse, from UrbanLink services in Florida and Puerto Rico, to U.S. Marine Corps research contracts, even ADNOC logistics trials in the UAE (United Arab Emirates).
We at the Herd Law Firm are proud to fight for seamen, maritime workers and passengers in all types of personal injury and death claims. As maritime personal injury attorneys (and sailors ourselves!) located in northwest Houston, we never waver in our commitment to help these maritime workers, passengers, and their families when they are injured or mistreated.
6/30/2025
Source Credit: www.regentcraft.com
